Leading Fidesz politicians were not surprised when RTL Klub began airing conspicuously anti-government reports on its main channel after the tax was approved, as RTL had informally given several signals to party politicians that if the tax was passed it would “pick up the boxing gloves”.

Programming director Péter Kolosi made no secret when interviewed on ATV on Tuesday that RTL is criticising the cabinet because of the advertising tax, and it is obvious, Népszabadság writes, that this approach has the approval of the management of the Luxembourg-based media group.

Several sources confirmed that RTL does not want to withdraw from Hungary over the advertising tax.

They consider it important to point that out, saying the intention behind the tax may be to make it easier for Fidesz-linked media enterprises to buy “the goose that lays the golden egg” at a suppressed price.

A Fidesz leader said the tone struck by RTL’s news programmes will not considerably influence the outcome of the local elections, and that in the long run the “excessive government criticism” could backfire on RTL in the form of declines in viewership and advertising revenue.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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